Articles by Section - Newton

Ashton Hagans set the middle school basketball scene on fire this year as he helped lead Clements Middle School to an undefeated season and a county championship. Hagans and his team's success has earned him Born to Compete Player of the Year honors.

After losing their first two Region 2-AAAAAA series against Lakeside and Tucker, it was vital for the Newton Rams baseball team to get a win in game three against Tucker, and not get swept. The sense of urgency was there for the Rams, and with Tucker leaving their game back in DeKalb County, it was a commanding victory for Newton 8-1 against the Tigers. In all actuality it was not a bad week for Newton baseball, though they lost the first two games of the series. Newton lost 4-3 in the first game on March 23, and lost the second ...

Donovan Grubb and Antonio Smith have verbally committed to attend West Georgia Technical College to play basketball. Both Grubb and Smith are interested in pursuing career fields in criminal justice. Grubb wants to be a police officer and Smith wants to work in forensics.

The past week has been an emotional tragedy for Newton High School and their soccer program. With the loss of fellow mate, Carlvon Betts, soccer may have been the last thing on the mind of the players and coaches. But as time progresses, the season keeps going for the Newton High Soccer program.

We all know the saying "the rich get richer," and that seems to apply to the Newton Rams football program. After an historic Elite Eight run, Newton was able to celebrate all the hard work that was put in this entire season. On top of that, National Signing Day, back in February, was a busy day for the Rams as nine players signed their letter of intent to play football at the next level. Within the last few weeks, that number has risen to 12 as three more players signed for the Rams.

"He had [lost] so much blood, and they say he broke every bone in his face and fractured his skull. It was so much blood and swelling that the CT scan wasn't giving them the reading that they needed. The body didn't look like anything was wrong with it. It was just his head," says Tracy Betts, Carlvon Betts' mother, recalling her son's fatal car accident. "They took him and decided to get the bleeding to stop. At that point he was bleeding out of his ears, out of his nose, his mouth...everything. It wasn't ...

There was a sense of hope in the air when the Lady Rams took on the Lady Spartans of North Springs on Thursday evening. A moment of silence for fallen Ram, Carlvon Betts, before the game filled the stadium with a melancholy atmosphere, but it fueled Newton to a 2-1 win over North Springs.

Newton County School System Director of Public Reactions, Sherri Davis-Viniard says that the high schools will honor Carlvon Betts – Newton soccer player, who passed away this week – March 25 at Sharp Stadium where the Rams will play Alcovy.

The Rams' state playoff run stopped on a cold Thursday night at Wheeler High School, with a large number of Newton fans tucked inside Wheeler's gym hoping to see the Newton boys basketball team pull of yet another upset. Three days later and the buzz has died, but the players and head coach Rick Rasmussen will always know how it all came together.

Even with the winter weather we experienced this past week, spring sports are off and running in full affect. The Newton High School baseball team has already got into the middle of their non-region schedule. Due to several rain-outs, Newton had only played two games until Friday evening where they were looking to get a win over the MLK Lions. Going into the game 0-2, Newton needed this win to kick start the season, but couldn't get it done and fell 8-4 to the Lions.

Newton junior guard Jaquan Sims will play in the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association (GACA) North/South All-Star boys basketball game. Sims will replace an injured player, as he was named an alternate for the contest, when rosters were being picked. Players from all over Georgia will participate in the contest. There is a game for juniors and one for seniors. Rams' guard D.J. Hill was also named as an alternate, but it has not yet been announced if he'll play in the game.

The third time wasn't the charm for Newton (22-9, 5-5 Region 2-AAAAAA), a team that had been on a wild Cinderella run in the state playoffs with upsets over powerhouse Tift County and Dacula. The favorites to win it all in 6-AAAAAA, Wheeler (28-2) and No. 2 player in the nation Jaylen Brown, ended the Rams' season with a 72-54 win.

Man, what a run it was. Newton played the underdog three times in the state playoffs, first upsetting Tift County – originally a favorite to at least make the elite eight – then beating Dacula in the sweet sixteen. However, Newton couldn't best Wheeler in the elite eight and fell to the Wildcats 72-54.

The 2011 Newton Rams epitomized an up-and-down football team, punctuated by its final game of the season when, with the playoffs on the line, they beat region rival Luella in four overtimes only to find out their postseason hopes had been squashed earlier in the night with East Coweta's narrow victory.

Newton High School football coach Cortez Allen has another tough schedule - including two trips to football-crazy Lowndes County - and a "baby" at quarterback, but he also has his eyes trained on the playoff berth the team thought it had last year.

Basketball is a passionate game, full of equal parts skill, ego and determination. Long after they leave the high school courts, players hold onto those traits waiting for a chance to shine once again.